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Ever wish your children would slow down? I'm sure every parent can relate, I know I certainly can!
Did you know that to help their bodies grow, children have faster metabolisms and heart rates than adults? This gives them a seemingly never-ending energy supply – which many of us are envious of – but also keeps their minds racing.
With school starting at 8.30 and finishing at 3.00, factor in before and after school extra curricular activities, plus homework and assessment - it’s seems pretty hard to make sure that your child is getting their recommended 9 – 10 hours of sleep each night too.
This why incorporating Mindfulness activities, like a kids Sleep Mediation, is incredibly important. It helps them to concentrate, build their imaginations and language skills, and most crucially, create a healthy and restful sleep routine.
It doesn’t stop there though... introducing Meditation practices into your child’s sleep routine also assists with their physical and mental health which makes it constructive to their core foundations and can be used throughout their life.
Why Meditation?
It's the age old saying "use it or lose it", but something which we are taught as children, is that our memory and creativity are both important skills which need to be exercised regularly.
Psychologically, incorporating meditation into the daily practice of both yours and your children's routine can improve memory and encourage greater creativity.
Just like everyone, meditation helps a child remember things more clearly however, if started early, this can help with their learning at school as well. A child's creativity is at its peak during childhood, but what kids lack is learning focused attention. This is something that meditation helps to solve. With meditation, the child is able to practice focusing on their ideas, which can help him or her materialise.
Aside from memory and creativity, incorporating meditation into your child's routine can help them feel more connected to their surroundings and notice energy of the world around them. They might not understand the deeper mindfulness involved but it will present an opportunity for them to be more aware of their minds and bodies.
Meditation can have a profound effect on a child's emotional well being. Benefits like greater confidence, the ability to love and be loved, positive attitudes and happiness are important to a child's emotional foundation, reinforcing the idea that meditation should be practiced early, for a life-long positive impact. At the end of the day, Meditation is all about being grounded and present, which generally allows for you to think more rationally. It also allows you to stop and process your emotions effectively.
Let's Put It Into Practice
I know it's easy to state the benefits and say "go ahead full steam" but getting your child to appreciate and want to meditate is another thought process on its own. Try these steps first, and see how they go.
Create a calm space dedicated to Meditation.
Meditate in front of your children to introduce the idea, their curiosity might lead them towards it independently.
Teach them the importance of their breathing.
Make it relatable; I use a couple of children's apps that have great storytelling to keep them interested. My favourite is "Mindfulness for Children". It has various Meditations from something as short as 4 minutes up to 20+ minutes. We don't always get through the whole meditation, stopping when we feel relaxed and rested.
Set a timer; I get it, it can be hard to get your child to sit still for 10 minutes in front of the TV, let alone a 5 minute meditation. Setting a timer shows them that it will end. Start small and increase gradually.
If all else fails, tell it like a story. Incorporate the breathing with a narrative format to keep them engaged.
I wouldn't recommend a new practice like this, without some products to make it a bit easier! The Goodnight Co. stocks a beautiful Mind Time Kit to assist with introducing your child to Meditation. Included in the kit are:
7 x felt circles representing the colour of each of the 7 Chakras
7 x crystals chosen specifically for their relation to each of the 7 Chakras
1 x detailed instruction guide with age specific meditation ideas to get you started with your Mind Time for Kids practice meditation for kids.
If you're interested in purchasing any of The Goodnight Co. products, feel free to use my code "IKNOWSHEA" for 20% off.
Please reach out if you give it a try or if you have any questions about incorporating Meditation into your routine.
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